{"id":235668,"date":"2024-06-04T23:28:29","date_gmt":"2024-06-04T21:28:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monaco-tribune.com\/?p=235668"},"modified":"2024-06-05T09:59:51","modified_gmt":"2024-06-05T07:59:51","slug":"analysis-dmitry-rybolovlevs-part-in-as-monacos-success-this-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.monaco-tribune.com\/en\/2024\/06\/analysis-dmitry-rybolovlevs-part-in-as-monacos-success-this-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Analysis: Dmitry Rybolovlev’s part in AS Monaco’s success this season"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dmitry Rybolovlev proved himself to be an exemplary president during 2023-24 season. Immediately after the end of AS Monaco\u2019s disappointing 2022-23 season, he made important staff changes, kept a close eye on the summer transfer window and again helped the sports department financially so that the team could add the players it needed. He was there for the team throughout the entire season to support it and celebrated the second-place finish in Ligue 1 alongside the players.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a series of articles, we look at three key figures who contributed to AS Monaco\u2019s success this season. After Adi H\u00fctter<\/a> and Thiago Scuro<\/a> now we turn our attention to AS Monaco president Dmitry Rybolovlev.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fix the roof while the sun is shining<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During Dmitry Rybolovlev\u2019s time at the club, AS Monaco has been a regular fixture on the Ligue 1 podium. In fact, this year marked the eighth time since the club’s return to the elite. This is obviously an objective that the President asks his staff and players to achieve every year, and he has done his utmost to facilitate that. However, football is a game of ups and downs. Monaco learned all about the downs at the end of the 2022-2023 season, when the club, despite its capabilities, unexpectedly and disappointingly, finished sixth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rybolovlev\u2019s reaction was immediate and decisive. As soon as the season ended, the club brought in a new sporting director, Thiago Scuro, followed by a new head coach, Adi H\u00fctter. The idea was that the new management could prepare in advance for the summer transfer window and build the team to suit the needs of the coach. It turned out to be absolutely the right move. The powerful partnership between the Brazilian and the Austrian proved a major driving force to take the team to where it wanted to be \u2013 in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That summer transfer window was very successful. The club spent \u20ac83 million on five new players (Wilfred Singo, Folarin Balogun, Mohamed Salisu, Philipe K\u00f6hn and Denis Zakaria). As Thiago Scuro mentioned at the start of the new season, not only was Dmitry Rybolovlev “actively involved in the negotiations<\/a>” for those transfers, he once again helped the club financially<\/a> so that the sports department could concentrate on strengthening the team without having to wait for sales of certain players to go through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a manager and sporting coach, it\u2019s an enviable position to be in. Literally enviable in some of the Ligue 1 coaches\u2019 opinions, such as Lille\u2019s Paolo Fonseca<\/a>, who commented: “I don\u2019t want to talk about Monaco. They spend maybe two or three times what we did, in one day.”<\/p>\n\n\n

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AS Monaco\u2019s official photo for the 2023-2024 season \u00a9 AS Monaco<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A brilliant start<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rybolovlev’s financial backing was certainly extremely helpful in bringing the Austrian’s attacking tactics to life. The Monegasques kicked the 2023-2024 season off in a goal-scoring frenzy, topping the Championship table<\/a> on several occasions, while AS Monaco team members were voted Players of the Month. In October 2023, it seemed the only real competition for the Red & Whites was Paris-Saint-Germain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dmitry Rybolovlev was often on hand to witness the team’s successes and, together with His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, rejoiced at AS Monaco’s victories<\/a> in the Louis II stands.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The match against Strasbourg on 20 August at Stade Louis II \u00a9 AS Monaco<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Continuous support during a difficult period<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, in the middle of the season, AS Monaco was up against some serious challenges. Over the winter, the team was plagued by injuries to key players (Breel Embolo, Caio Henrique, Eliess Ben Seghir, Wanderson), and had to cope without several players who were selected by their countries for the African Cup of Nations (Wilfred Singo, Mohamed Camara, Mohamed Salisu, Ismail Jacobs, Crepin Diatta) and the Asian Cup (Takumi Minamino). The absolute low point was Les Rouge et Blanc being knocked out of the French Cup by Rouen, a third division team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rumours of the coach’s dismissal started to surface. But, as H\u00fctter<\/a> himself said, \u201cI spoke to the president and Thiago after the match in Rouen. Dmitry Rybolovlev wanted information and my opinion on the game. Everyone was disappointed, but he expressed his support for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not to change the coach during the crisis is a very important and smart decision of the club owner. After all, it was after the failure in Rouen that the team started to gain momentum and eventually beat all the competitors: Nice, Lens, Rennes, Brest and Lille. Rybolovlev was close to the team throughout. During that difficult period in the second half of the season, he almost never missed a match, often visiting the training centre in La Turbie, for example on the eve of the Cote d’Azur derby<\/a>, meeting with the players, coming to the locker room to support them and congratulate them on important wins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking at a press conference recently, Scuro stressed: \u201cThe President has been very important and very present for us this season. He sometimes came to attend training sessions, was always close to me, to Adi H\u00fctter and supporting the players, especially in the locker room. He was always involved in the big decisions made this season and helped us progress, especially after the elimination in the Coupe de France against Rouen<\/a>, which was a turning point in the season. We had meetings at that time with key players in the squad, as well as the coach and myself. He has always been behind us, and has had an important role in the fact that we have achieved this goal of returning to the Champions League.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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On 17 March, Dmitry Rybolovlev symbolically presented jerseys to Aleksandr Golovin and Ismail Jakobs, who have respectively played over 200 and 100 matches in all for AS Monaco \u00a9 AS Monaco <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

H\u00fctter also emphasised that the president was close to the team during that difficult period and “his support was very strong<\/a>” when things weren\u2019t going as hoped. Rybolovlev’s presence was also essential for the players. As AS Monaco defender Guillermo Maripan<\/a> remarked at the end of February: \u201cHe has always been behind us. I am very happy to see him more, and that he is more present at the Club or with the team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Champions League qualification, a gift for the club’s centenary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After rain comes sunshine. Once the missing players returned and the team got back its fighting spirit and confidence in its own abilities, it became clear that this squad was able to win and capable of achieving great results. The Monegasques finished the season on a high and took a well-deserved second place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAS Monaco\u2019s result this season represents much more than just a place on the podium. It means direct qualification for the Champions League, something that we have all been waiting for such a long time. It is a well-deserved reward for the efforts of all members of the Club who pursued this goal throughout the season,\u201d said Dmitry Rybolovlev. \u201cIt is also a beautiful gift to all Monegasques and AS Monaco fans on the eve of the Club\u2019s centenary!\u201d, the club president added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Le Pr\u00e9sident Dmitry Rybolovlev a tenu \u00e0 f\u00e9liciter les Rouge & Blanc dans le vestiaire \u00e0 Montpellier une fois la qualification en @championsleague<\/a> valid\u00e9e \ud83e\udd29

0\ufe0f\u20e3-2\u20e3 #MHSCASM<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/lnztbRDXNO<\/a><\/p>— AS Monaco \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\udde8 (@AS_Monaco) May 12, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote>